


Two-For

by 3rdgenderfromthesun



Series: Truckers Verse [3]
Category: Criminal Minds, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Bottom Derek Hale/Top Stiles Stilinski, Cunnilingus, F/M, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Knotting, Lactation, Light Angst, M/M, Mommy Issues, Oral Sex, Phobias, Prostitution, Resolved Sexual Tension, Self-Defense, Self-Harm, Social Anxiety, Top Derek Hale/Bottom Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-10
Updated: 2017-05-10
Packaged: 2018-10-30 07:11:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10871688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3rdgenderfromthesun/pseuds/3rdgenderfromthesun
Summary: Stiles is searching for his mother while Cora and Isaac dance around each other. When Stiles finds his mother he must face her reasons for abandoning him. Cora must face what she fears most: people. Isaac just wants to be loved.





	1. Chapter 1

Stiles woke up in his comfortable bed and stretched fully, brushing his knuckles against the top of the headboard. He pushed himself upright with a big yawn, the swaying of the truck not bothering him in the slightest. It was his cradle and his exercise. Stiles rolled out of bed, dragged the blanket off and stuffed it into a cabinet, and folded the bed up with the sheets still in place. He clicked it into place and folded the table beneath down against the wall. That left him room to stretch and do some quick exercises. Once he’d worked up a sweat he headed to the bathroom to relief himself and have a fast shower. Stiles headed to the front with a plastic mug of coffee and passed it to his mate.

“Hello, handsome,” Stiles pressed a kiss to Derek’s cheek.

“Hello, beautiful,” Derek smirked, “You smell good.”

“Mm,” Stiles sighed as he sat down in the second seat, “I had a good dream.”

“I bet,” Derek smiled warmly, “Your heat’s coming up.”

“Yeah, just in time for vacation!” Stiles grinned.

Derek smiled broadly as he pulled off onto the side of the road, “I can’t believe it’s almost ten years.”

“You know what this means?”

“You’re graduated from college?”

“Fucking _finally_ ,” Stiles huffed, “But that’s not what I meant.”

“Oh,” Derek’s voice lowered sadly, “You sure you want to do that? Now?”

“After my heat is over, yeah,” Stiles decided, “I just want to talk to her, Derek.”

“We could go back to Disney instead?” Derek offered.

“Dude, we’ve been there five times. I’m too old for Disney.”

Derek gave Stiles a level glare over his coffee mug, “You are _never_ too old for Disney.”

Stiles snickered, “Fucking love you, you big dork. And we’ll go _next_ time. For now, my mother is in Vegas and that’s where we’re headed. Time for me to face the last of my demons.”

“Famous last words,” Derek muttered.

Stiles glared daggers at him, but Derek surrendered the wheel and Stiles took over with a surprised glance out the mirrors, “Wow, we put our load up?”

“Yeah, you were out for the count. Just us and the cab now.”

“To Vegas!” Stiles crowed, turning the GPS on.

Derek gave the chatty machine a glare and headed into the sleeper with a big stretch, shutting the curtains behind himself. Stiles started to drive while listening to his mate putter around in the back. Eventually Derek settled down to eat and watch part of a movie before turning in for his 8 hours of required sleep. Stiles drove on into the sunset with a poetic feeling in his heart. In six hours he’d be at the last place his mother had been seen to follow the last of their leads. A man there claimed to know where she was and Stiles was hoping he wasn’t as insane as the patients in Bennington Sanitarium.


	2. Chapter 2

Isaac Lahey was a shy young man who kept mostly to himself even years after being rescued from his father. For the first three years it had all been about treatment. Isaac was severely claustrophobic to the point where sometimes he couldn’t manage to be inside of an apartment. Since Cora lived in a small apartment in South America it had become a problem for them and she’d given in and moved up north to be closer to her brother and his inheritance. With Derek paying for their lifestyle she was able to get a nice, big house in Southern California near the beach. They had a huge place to themselves with a room for Derek and Stiles when they were away from their precious truck. If even that was too tight for Isaac he would go and walk on the beach, sleeping on the dunes when it was warm enough.

Cora, much like her brother, was completely inept at dating and trusting others. She had informed her brother of her need for a mate and he’d provided a few betas for her over the years. None had worked out, but Isaac had become a close packmate and seemed to make Cora happy. Cora had gotten him psychiatric help and Isaac was thriving after years of therapy and a steady medical regimen. After a few years along Isaac had shyly asked for the bite during one of Derek’s visits and the alpha had supplied it. Derek stayed for Isaac’s first change, but the beta barely struggled with it so he left the remainder of his adjustment in Cora’s capable hands. Unlike previous acquisitions, Cora hadn’t found Isaac a job and slowly re-integrated him into society. Instead, she kept him as a close packmate even after he was capable of caring for himself. In time he’d sought out a part time job so he had spending money, but had remained largely reliant on Cora for survival. Yet as the years passed they remained housemates and nothing more. Cora would pull Isaac against her while they watched movies and the beta wound nuzzle her sweetly, but nothing further would come of their interactions.

Eventually Derek asked Cora if Isaac was a proper mate for her and she shrugged it off before sighing and shaking her head. Derek began to search again, but his interactions with prostitutes were far less since Stiles was running the business after Peter’s retirement. They still lived in their truck, but it spent more time parked behind the office’s main building than on the road. Stiles kept joking about getting them a trailer or a tiny house to live in instead, but they were ridiculously attached to Roscoe so it wasn’t happening. Instead he’d paid to renovate the office’s bathroom into a full bath and gotten a few solar panels so they wouldn’t put a strain on Roscoe’s resources. Their office was also a few blocks from Cora’s home, so if they needed space- or Roscoe desperately needed a clean- they could simply stay there for as long as they wanted.

Derek hoped to find some lonely beta in Vegas while Stiles searched for his mother, but he wasn’t holding out much hope at this point. He was vaguely worried that Cora was asexual since she simply never hit it off with anyone either of her own choosing or his. At the end of his ropes, Derek put out an add in the paper to draw in a few betas for Cora to interview herself. He was a half an hour out of Vegas when she found out and called him to rip him a new asshole for sending a slew of available young men directly to her door.

She was not amused.


	3. Chapter 3

“Hi,” A cheery young man chirped annoyingly from her doorstep.

Cora’s temple throbbed. How did werewolves get headaches but not STD’s? It really wasn’t fair. She should be immune to all forms of pain and illness, not just the most devastating. Like annoyance. Wasn’t annoyance an illness? Or perhaps just _people_ were.

“Um…” The smile was gone and the guy was shifting uncomfortably under her stare, “I… uh… I’m answering a Lonely Hearts ad… is this the right place?”

A virus. People were definitely a virus. There was no killing them off with anti-biotics, you just had to wait for their pathetic life cycle to end so you could get rid of the symptoms of their presence in your life.

“So… no?” The guy tried, backing away slowly as she stared him down. He nearly fell down the steps in his haste to get away from her resting bitch face, finally just turning and bolting. The garden gate swung shut and Cora slammed the house door in reply.

“These fucking _idiots!_ ” Cora shrieked at the closed door.

“You _could_ just tell them the article’s a misprint,” Isaac chuckled behind her.

Cora turned, leaning against the door, and stared up at Isaac’s devastatingly handsome smile. He was leaning over the second floor balcony rail and giving her that bemused look he threw her way when she was being unreasonably difficult. He _got_ her. He understood how she froze up when confronted with social situations and just waited out their end, but he wasn’t quite getting the fact that she couldn’t just lie to them.

“They’d hear my heartbeat.”

“He was a werewolf?” Isaac sniffed the air curiously. It had been a few years, but he was still getting used to his sense of smell.

“Some of them are,” She replied defensively.

“So lie to the ones who aren’t,” Isaac shrugged.

“You know how the roof feels like it’s falling on you sometimes?” Cora challenged.

Isaac winced, “How about I just answer the door from now on?”

“Finally!” Cora threw up her arms and stomped off in disgust.

The doorbell rang again and Cori froze, stiffening up from head to toes.

Isaac hurried down the steps, took her arm, and directed her to the bathroom, “Just stay in there until I deal with him, okay?”

“Thank you,” Cora whispered, heartfelt and shaky.

Isaac answered the door and Cora listened in from her perch on the toilet.

“Sorry, ads been answered,” Isaac stated firmly.

“You don’t have a mating mark on you,” The idiot on he other side argued, “Recon I still have a chance.”

“No,” He stated firmly, “You don’t.”

The door slammed shut and Cora breathed a sigh of relief, but the anxiety didn’t quite leave her chest this time. After a moment she admitted it was pain and not social anxiety. Isaac calling himself her mate was absolute torture. She knew he was interested. She could smell it, and she imagined he might be learning to smell it on her as well. However she was completely incapable of making the first move and even after years of therapy Isaac had yet to take that crucial first step. She was trapped in a platonic relationship with the man she loved. Friend zoned, but without it being okay with either of them.

Isaac opened the bathroom door and smiled at her fondly, “You okay?”

“No,” She grouched, “I’m going to kill my brother. What if one of them were a murderer? He just _posted our address_.”

Isaac snorted, “You’d kill the and eat their organs.”

“Just the liver,” She replied, pushing past him, “At least I can fight without freezing like prey.”

“Social anxiety is a horrible thing to have to deal with,” Isaac stated, following her into the kitchen like a puppy, “Maybe you could see my therapist?”

“Which one?” She asked scathingly.

Isaac didn’t take the bait to fight with her. He never did, the altruistic bastard.

“I was thinking Sue. You’re better around women than men so you probably should have a female therapist.”

“No.”

“Why?”

_Because I just want you to be my mate and deal with the people for me. I wouldn’t need to ‘fix’ myself if you did that. I could be the one who knocks down walls that scare you while you put up barriers so people don’t scare me._

Instead she snapped, “I don’t need therapy. I need people to fuck off.”

Isaac nodded and turned to leave and Cora’s hand twitched, intending to grab his arm, but never actually reached out.

_Not you! I don’t want you to fuck off! I want you to…_

Isaac headed into the front room and stared out through a slit in the curtains, waiting for the next suitor to come to call. Cora stared at him from the kitchen, leaning against the counter and aching with loneliness inside the home she shared with him.

_Fuck me._


	4. Chapter 4

They chose a hotel for Stiles’ heat that specialized in couples spending their heats there. It advertised a scent-free room and charged an obscene amount of money, probably to clean that scent out after each couple left. Derek was on edge while Stiles entered a period of near lethargy for the days before hand. They checked into the room when Stiles’ hot flashes started and booked it for a solid four days since Stiles tended to go over the normal three-day period. The staff were amazing. Stiles thought it impressive that the person who checked them in looked directly at Derek while talking to Stiles so as not to irritate the possessive alpha. Derek’s only response was a firm ‘mine’ before he just stood there and stared at the man while Stiles confirmed their reservation and handed over the card. Stiles was careful to put it on the counter and the man didn’t even reach for it until Stiles’ hand was completely withdrawn. The entire time he smiled at Derek without meeting his eyes so as not to challenge him or make him think he was interested in Stiles.

Inside the room was a little fridge filled with water and a few protein shakes since food was uninteresting to mating couples, especially dual male ones. Stiles flopped down onto the bed with a heavy sigh and began rolling around on it happily. The room had a plant in each corner for Derek to piss in to mark out his ‘territory’ and the alpha set about doing so with growing calm. Their truck was their main territory, but when Stiles’ heats hit they often felt trapped and insecure, probably due to the windows in the front and the fact it had no exit out the back.

Derek stripped in his usual utilitarian way, removing all obstacles between himself and his mate. Stiles was on birth control but Derek’s hormones didn’t know that. As far as his dick was concerned it was time to pump Stiles full of gallons of come until his belly swelled and the seed took root. Stiles’ heated glances told Derek that he liked him this way; hot and needy with a heavy dose of possessiveness. Derek’s need to keep Stiles near tapered down during the year but it would rise heavily just before his heat and it never failed to make Stiles wriggle with lust.

The alpha knelt on the bed and crawled towards Stiles, manhandling his clothes off of his body while Stiles smiled and laughed at his Neanderthal behavior. Stiles was just as thirsty for Derek but omegas tended to be calm right up until their bodies demanded their Alpha’s knot. Stiles reached up and caressed his mate’s cheek, his eyes shining with love at the way Derek tilted his head to press into his palm.

“My beloved,” Stiles breathed. Derek grunted in response, leaning down to breathe in his scent at the juncture of his neck. Spicy and warm. Derek was lost to Stiles’ heat; his need for Stiles had only grown since their mating.

He had Stiles naked but was still waiting on his heat to fully hit. He _could_ stretch him manually and start fucking him now, but he’d regret it later after days of fucking each other raw. Instead he’d spend the time with his attention completely focused on Stiles, studying, touching, smelling, tasting, and listening to his voice. Stiles had compared it to worship and Derek hadn’t denied it.

“Soon,” Stiles soothed, “I can feel it building. Do you want to see?”

Derek nodded and Stiles rolled over onto his belly. He spread his legs and let Derek manipulate his body. The alpha pushed his legs apart and knelt between his thighs. He parted his cheeks and whined in the back of his throat as he stared down at Stiles’ bleached hole. He’d told him to keep the tiny bit of hair around it. Most would find that distasteful, and Derek admitted he hated picking hairs out of his mouth, but the natural look fed his werewolf side. Stiles had often panted over Derek’s body hair, so the omega knew what he was on about.

Derek gripped his cheeks, massaging them and enjoying the way Stiles stretched and pushed back against his palms. Derek leaned down and breathed in his scent and lapped lightly at his hole to encourage his body to start producing slick for him. The spicy taste hit his tongue, sharp and metallic, making his jaw ache a moment before it processed the presence of omega slick and relaxed. Derek breathed out heavily and Stiles groaned as his abdomen cramped, his body preparing for reproduction as the channels switched inside of his entrance. Derek growled enthusiastically, turned his head, and gave his left cheek a sharp nip.

“Ow!” Stiles swatted at him, “No biting!”

“Mine,” Derek growled, squeezing both ass cheeks punishingly.

“I swear, you get more animalistic the longer we’re together. Do you think it’s because we haven’t reproduced?”

“Mine,” Derek growled deeply, licking at his hole as his slick began to flow. He could have forced out other words, but he couldn’t be arsed to care. Stiles was his and his alone. He didn’t care to share him with children.

“You’re so cute when you’re horny,” Stiles chuckled, “Maybe we should adopt so you stop losing brain cells. Think that will work.”

“Mine,” Derek reiterated firmly. Did Stiles want kids? They’d have to _talk_ after mating, and Derek didn’t fucking want to talk about kids. They’d talked once ten years ago, why talk again now?

“Silly wolf,” Stiles laughed, and then gasped as another flush of heat shot through him. Derek could feel his temperature rising as his ovulation reached a peak, “Oh gods, I think this is it. It’s not letting up. _Derek!_ ”

Stiles went from calm and sleepy to frantic in a few breaths, lifting his hips up and shoving himself back at Derek without an ounce of grace. Derek avoided getting his nose smashed into Stiles’ ass but the omega’s actions nearly knocked the alpha backwards anyway. Derek grabbed onto Stiles’ hips with claws out and humped at his ass, moaning as his cock slid smoothly through his slick. Stiles whined but Derek wasn’t the imbecile he’d sounded like and the alpha quickly got himself under control and used a hand to direct his cock into Stiles’ needy body.

Derek moaned long and low as he sank into Stiles’ wet hole, pressing his face into his mate’s neck to breathe in his heady scent. Stiles whimpered and pushed back hard, trying to get Derek to knot him immediately only to find he hadn’t popped yet. The omega let out a pained keen, his voice high pitched with need. Derek’s response was to push up onto his knees and begin fucking Stiles hard, hips slapping ass and huge alpha balls knocking his tiny orbs forward in a satisfying tango. Stiles moaned and reached beneath himself to grip his member, but nothing would get him off except for that damn knot while he was on heat.

Thankfully, it wasn’t a long wait. Derek’s shaft thickened at the base and the friction became hot as embers with only Stiles’ fluids keeping them from burning up. Stiles gasped and moaned, pushing back as his mind slid into the rhythm of mating. All he wanted for the next four days was to be fucked and pampered at Derek’s hands and Derek was more than willing to have his omega focused entirely on his dick for days on end. The alpha’s knot fully expanded and Stiles shoved back at the same moment Derek pushed into him and his omega’s body gripped him _hard_. The knot filled Stiles’ tented passage and the omega howled in relief as hot tendrils of release painted the blue bedspread beneath him. Derek growled proudly, glad to have given his precious mate pleasure, and his knot throbbed as pleasure moved through him. Stiles crooned happily as Derek panted and grunted through his orgasm, a prolonged event that would amp up with every flex of Stiles’ muscles. The omega wasn’t wasting time. He tossed off and quickly got himself another round of toe-curling bliss, his entrance flexing and driving Derek into another mind-blowing climax. Derek’s eyes rolled into his head and he panted and groaned as Stiles drained his body. He knew he had another in him, but it was going to be more exhausting than satisfying and Stiles was going to need him again soon. He’d force him to rest and then take him again in an hour.

Derek was savage during heat. It was all about fertilization and that meant holding Stiles steady, keeping him where he needed him, and pounding home as often as possible. He had long ago learned ways to calm himself if only for short stints. He would deny Stiles for a wave or two in order to keep them both from ending up sore and miserable. The first time he’d managed to pull that off a new tradition in their marriage had started up and as Derek’s knot released for the last time and Stiles’ scent tapered off Derek smiled to himself at what was soon to come.

_I may be a lot lizard, but I’m not the whore. They’re **my** whores. They come panting after me, eager to scratch my itch, desperate for my scent. I love it. Love them mounting me. Moaning about how they’ll breed me. One offered to rescue me the other day. Do you think I should have gone, Laura? Laura?_

_Laura?_

“Mm?” Derek’s entire body felt heavy. Heavy and slightly chilled. A warm hand was running up and down his upper arm and a hot body plastered to his back and for a moment Derek was back _then_. Back during the time he’d been his _proper_ second gender, when he hadn’t felt out of place and awkward, when everything had made sense… Before he’d been betrayed.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Stiles soothed, pressing a kiss to his cheek, “My heat’s over.”

“Mm,” Derek replied, unable to do much more than lay there and feel exhausted.

A bottle opened and Derek smiled contentedly. Stiles could give him something beautiful just after his heats when Derek’s instincts were dulled and Stiles smelled freshly claimed. Stiles’ hands moved behind Derek and the alpha shifted one leg forward so Stiles could reach a place that Derek had once freely enjoyed.

“Is this what you want, my beautiful mate?” Stiles asked, his finger tracing Derek’s pucker.

Derek nodded weakly and Stiles began to prepare him gently, his finger sliding into Derek’s body with little resistance. Derek sighed happily and Stiles’ finger slid out, lighting up nerves that had long been ignored. Derek’s breath was faster than sleep but still lazy, but Stiles was getting excited again. Derek denying him occasionally had him still ready to go, and now that he’d been sated one way he was ready to take Derek the other.

“You’re so hot,” Stiles groaned, “How did I end up with such a fucking sexy mate?”

Derek laughed lightly and Stiles growled at his clenching muscles. He slid a second finger inside and spread them open to stretch Derek’s passage. Stiles rarely needed much prep since he was meant to bottom, but Derek required quite a bit of attention. Stiles was good to him, making sure Derek experienced as little discomfort as possible. When Derek began to push back for more Stiles withdrew his long fingers despite Derek’s whine of regret at the loss. The bottle sloshed and Stiles’ spongy, wet cockhead pressed against his entrance. Stiles was panting heavily as his slim Omega cock slid into Derek’s body in one easy push. Derek reached back to touch his hip, grateful for Stiles’ tender care and the fullness giving him such pleasure. Every movement of Stiles’ needy body sent sparks of pleasure though Derek’s body and lights dancing behind his eyelids.

“Stiles,” Derek moaned in bliss as the Omega’s excitement led him to grip the alpha’s thigh and begin fucking him rabbit fast.

Derek’s body was already overstimulated, his dick long past producing anything resembling a knot. He grew lazily erect but Stiles’ stimulation would end only in one way. Stiles let out sharp cries as he fucked into Derek’s beautiful body, biting at his shoulder in ways that had Derek crooning in bliss. He adored Stiles’ needy excitement as his mate fucked him fast and hard, finally stilling inside of him with a ragged cry. Derek’s looked down to find his cock twitching and drooling as Stiles’ motions milked what little his prostate had to offer.

“You… good?” Stiles panted.

“Yeah,” Derek replied honesty, “Happy Tenth Anniversary, Stiles.”

Stiles turned Derek’s head with two fingers and pressed a firm kiss to his lips, “Happy Tenth, Der.”

Derek’s cock was too rubbed raw to enjoy any kind of friction, but the act itself was satisfying and his body was completely drained. Stiles slipped free and staggered towards the bathroom with a groan about the state of his ass. Derek chuckled a bit but drifted off before he could think up a sassy response. Stiles took a long bath and then came in to coax Derek to do the same.

Derek staggered into the shower with Stiles to lazily wash each other, and downed another protein shake each. After checking out they found the nearest restaurant and ate until they could barely move. Their bodies were already healing by that point and Derek had finally had enough coffee to be verbal again.

“I hate your heats,” Derek grumbled.

“Liar,” Stiles laughed.

“Fine. I hate the aftermath.”

“True,” Stiles nodded, “Sorry you’re sore.”

“Sorry you are, too,” Derek sighed and put his cup of coffee down, “I’m worried about you.”

“I took my birth control, Der, I’m fine,” Stiles assured.

“Are you?” Derek asked, “Are kids something you want?”

Stiles hesitated and Derek’s stomach plunged. Some might want a family after having lost theirs, but not Derek. He could barely handle being responsible for Stiles’ happiness and his pack’s success. Hell, Stiles ran the pack more than Derek did.

“I don’t want to think about it until I meet my mother,” Stiles said softly.

“You… what?” Derek asked.

“Think about it, Der,” Stiles sighed, “Why did she leave? It’s not normal for a werewolf to abandon a child. Now we find out she was last seen in an asylum? I can’t settle my thoughts on children until I know why she left us.”

Derek nodded, “She’s not a proper mother, but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be.”

Stiles stared down at his plate, “I need closure, Derek.”

“What if she tears your heart out?” Derek asked softly, “We barely put each other back together once.”

“What if she does?” Stiles sighed, “Sometimes to heal you have to drain the wound first. I’ve been looking for her for nine years, Derek. I’m not going to back off now.”

Derek scowled but didn’t argue further, “I’m going with you.”

“That’s fine,” Stiles nodded.


	5. Chapter 5

Lydia sat down at her desk and powered up her laptop. Her skirt was tight, her blouse silk, and her make up flawless. She skimmed through her emails, looking for possible clients, but froze in concern at an email from Derek Hale. Derek was her son, by emotion if not blood, and a troublesome young man. His mate, who she lovingly called her son-in-law, had finally put him on the right track but the two of them were off on a new adventure that had her concerned. Finding Stiles’ mother, a werewolf who had mysteriously abandoned her pack and cub, was sure to end in heartbreak.

Lydia knew too well the reasons a woman gave up her baby, but couldn’t fathom raising a child, knowing their smile and laugh, hearing their voice, breathing in their scent, and then just… walking away. Lydia clicked on the email and opened it to find the typical short message from Derek.

_Hi, mom. I’m going to be in Vegas and anticipate some trouble. Can you meet me there? Love, Derek._

Lydia smiled softly. Nothing could replace the baby she’d given up, but that child was an illusion in her mind. She wouldn’t recognize her if she passed her on the street. Derek was real and sweet, her precious little boy, and the fact he was probably older than her was irrelevant. He needed her and she would be available whenever possible.

_Dearest Son, I can be there in two days. Love, mommy._

Lydia opened her work emails and quickly looked for options in the Vegas area. She traveled for a living rarely these days since Derek had settled down, focusing more on her business than her wayward son. She saw them for holidays and occasionally Derek stopped in to talk, cuddle, or grab a ‘snack’. She thought it was adorable that he sought comfort from her in such a way, and was relieved that Stiles hadn’t denied them their connection.

Lydia found a ranch in the Vegas area that would allow her to pop in as a special if she could provide a clean bill of health ahead of time, but she’d be required to not leave the premisis the entire time. _Not_ a great plan. Lydia decided that visiting another whore house- no matter how legal or politely named- was not on her to-do list. Instead, she’d just make Derek pay for a vacation! The savvy young business woman started looking into the hotels and their shows, quickly found a set that suited her, and booked herself in using Derek’s credit card.

“I’ll tell him later,” She decided, slipping the numbers back into her purse, “I deserve some ‘me’ time, too.”

XXX

Cora hated people, but she loved food being made for her and the outdoors. Most of the time she ate on their backdoor patio, enjoying their garden with two tall palm trees and a ten-foot fence that Derek had argued the city counsel into allowing. Since the neighbors were far enough away she often did this in the nude, but with Derek posting their damn address in a paper she was faced with people rattling the gate when Isaac wasn’t there to protect her from her suitors. So Cora did what she could tolerate. She went out to eat. With people.

Cora headed to a café and ordered a sandwich, cappuccino, and a slice of coffee cake with ridiculous amounts of icing on it. She knew most people thought she’d prefer everything bitter and dry, but the opposite was true. She liked her coffee with obscene amounts of cream and sugar and her cakes to be rich and satisfying.

Cora took her meal outside and sat at a quiet corner with her back to a frond-covered bush that continued to try and tickle her no matter where she moved. It still provided cover so she went with it. Halfway through her newspaper a woman’s laugh made her freeze and look up, hating herself as she did so. It still hit her every once in a while. That awful moment where she thought she heard her mother’s voice in a crowd or caught the scent of her father’s shaving cream. She’d been a child when her entire family had been murdered and Peter hadn’t tracked her down until she’d been about to be adopted. Sometimes she resented him for taking her from her second chance at a fully functional family, especially since he left her with one of his whores to raise her instead of taking care of her himself. Cora had gone through puberty watching men and women alike walk in and out of the bedrooms around her stinking of sex, condoms, and lube. She’d lost her virginity to a John who had mistaken her for a prostitute and considered becoming one, but Derek had intervened when he found out that Peter had ‘neglected’ to tell her she was alive. He’d told her that it was her choice, and that she didn’t have to whore just because it was what was around her. He’d told her he’d take her on a road trip and she could decide afterwards. She’d gone only to hate it and he’d dropped her back off at the chicken house with a resolved frown on his face, determined to respect her decision.

She’d gone to college instead.

Cora designed her first software program for her uncle’s company, charged him a shit-ton of money for it, paid off her college loans, and cut him out of her life completely. She had her own business and Derek’s respect, and apparently his respect came with access to the family funds that she’d originally been denied since Derek was the alpha heir. He practically let her roll in it. It probably helped that his omega mate was more capable of running the family business than Derek himself was, so his acceptance of the ‘alpha’ title had become just that: a title.

Cora took a deep breath, cleared her head of the past, and finished her lunch. She walked home with the intention of relaxing in her living room only to catch the scent of fear, anger, and blood just outside her door. Cora bolted through the door, claws and teeth out and eyes flashing yellow. She heard Isaac’s growl upstairs and flew up to find him straddling a bloodied body in her room. The scent of fear and anger was high in the room and the man on the ground was completely naked and drenched in blood. He was also very, very dead but Isaac wasn’t registering that. He was digging his way through the man’s chest and had probably hit carpet already.

“Isaac,” Cora spoke soft.

“ _Mine!”_ Isaac roared leaping up off of the body and flying at her.

Cora had never seen him lose control and was completely unprepared to defend herself against her best friend. She put up her hands in shock but was shoved up against the wall of her own bedroom by a feral beta with literal blood on his hands.

“Isaac, it’s me! It’s Cora!” She croaked out as his mouth flew to her throat.

Cora shut her eyes, fully expecting to have her throat ripped out, but instead his face pressed into her vulnerable flesh and breathed in deep. Cora realized that he was on edge and seeking pack comfort and tried to school her emotions to control her scent. She shut her eyes and pictured a quiet field full of flowers, the smell of woods and books, a cup of tea, a bean burrito, ice cream, Isaac cuddling on the couch with her, watching a movie.

“Cora…” Isaac whimpered, and leaned back to stare at her with fear and horror in his eyes.

“What happened?” Cora asked, noting a few superficial injuries on Isaac’s .

“He broke in through your window,” Isaac replied, voice cracking anxiously as he stepped back and stared down at the gore on his hands, “He had his dick hanging out… he was going to... I couldn’t let him… I had to… Cora, did I _kill him_?”

“You don’t remember?” Cora asked, turning him slowly so he could view the scene as well.

“Oh my _gods_ ,” Isaac whispered, and then promptly puked on her carpet.

Cora shrugged. She doubted they’d be keeping the carpet anyway.

“Okay,” Cora stated, “I’m calling Derek.”

“We need to call the police.”

“The police never caught my parents killer. They never caught _Laura_ ’s killer-“

“Your uncle killed Laura and he paid for our first apartment.”

“They never saved you from your asshole dad. The police aren’t going to care that a werewolf broke into the house of another werewolf with the intent to rape. They’re going to ask about that _fucking ad_ , and tell us that I was asking for it. They’re going to talk about claiming runs even though I’m a beta and so was dumbass here. They won’t care about your PTSD or that you were protecting me.”

“Wh-what do we do?” Isaac asked.

“Call Derek,” She shrugged, “Wait here… no, better yet. Go shower.”

“I’ll be destroying eviden-“

“With bleach.”

“Bu-“

“And then bleach the tub.”

“Okay.”

“Good,” Cora nodded and headed into the hallway to call him away from the mess.

The phone rang.

And rang.

After an hour of trying him she tried Lydia who laughingly informed her that it was Stiles’ heat week. He’d be out for _days_ fucking his pretty little omega. Lydia must have caught the anxiety in her voice because she immediately asked her what was wrong and she sounded angry when she said it. Which for Lydia meant Peter was going to be called.

“Nothing,” She stated flatly, “I just wanted to know why Derek was being a dick and not answering his phone.”

“I… _really_ … doubt that,” Lydia replied flatly.

“Shit,” Cora stated, and hung up the phone, “Isaac! Hurry up! Peter’s on his way!”

“Shit!” Isaac swore from the bathroom.

Cora headed into the bedroom and used her claws to tear up the carpet, rolling the body up with it. The floor beneath was stained but she had a plan for that as well. Isaac tripped his way into the room still stark naked and when she paused and gestured to his nudity he shrugged.

“Going to get messy, right?”

“Yeah, but-“

“And we’re already going to try _not_ to be seen, so…”

“That’s a valid point,” Cora frowned, and began to strip as well.

“What are you doing?”

“Not getting messy,” Cora replied.

“Okay. Okay,” Isaac nodded and the scent of arousal filled the air.

Cora was not in the mood to ignore it the way werewolf propriety instructed, “Really?!”

“You have amazing…” Isaac gestured to his own chest and then shrugged, “Everything.”

“Thank you. Not so bad yourself. Body?!”

“Right,” Isaac nodded and began to help her collect the mess on the floor. Since Isaac was cleaner he headed outside to their shed and collected the tarp they used for the rare rainy event on the patio. They rolled both up in that and took them outside where Cora glanced around carefully before beginning to dig.

“Shouldn’t we bury him somewhere else?”

“Help me move the sod. We need to preserve it. You really want to move him? In the middle of the day?”

“We could wait till nightfall…”

“And getting him out of here means passing people, cars, _other werewolves_. We have to bury him, disguise the scent, and clean up the mess you made in my room. Now _help me preserve the sod._ ”

Isaac and Cora worked hard for nearly an hour, digging up the ground and burying him. They rolled the rug and tarp up beside him instead of wrapped it around him so he could decompose quickly. They laid the sod back across the ground and were considering how to hide the fact they’d altered the ground when Peter stepped outside.

“I lit some candles,” Peter stated, “I could smell the blood from the sidewalk. An experienced werewolf would be able to tell it’s a human’s, but most humans and that idiot were two doors down will think we’re just savagely devouring an animal in here.”

“Fuck,” Cora decided.

“Where’s your bleach?” Peter asked.

Cora headed inside with her uncle and frowned, “I was going to burn the floor in my bedroom, actually.”

“Not a bad plan,” Peter nodded, “But the smoke will bring people running faster than the blood stink.”

“We’re lucky our neighbors are a bit of a way off,” Isaac worried, looking through her window anxiously and twitching the curtains shut.

“So how do we get rid of this, then?” Cora asked, gesturing to the brown stains on the floor.

“Best way would be to tear it up and burn them. You have a license to have bonfires here, right?”

“Sure,” Isaac grinned broadly, “Cora loves to burn things.”

“Well, tonight we’re having a party, and if anyone asks…” Peter turned and punched Isaac sharply enough to bloody his nose, “The blood stink is from Isaac and I having a disagreement.”

Isaac had hit the wall hard and came up rubbing at his dripping nose and glaring angrily, “That means I get to hit you, too, right?”

“Not necessary,” Peter stated, “I’m older and more experienced than you. No one would believe that you landed a single strike.”

Isaac grumbled irritably but Cora had already turned on some music s loud as it would go so he began ripping up floorboards. They joined him and quickly took them all outside. Peter started the fire in the pit while Cora and Isaac went inside to bleach any extra spots they could sniff out. They all met downstairs where Peter was lazily roasting a hotdog over their bonfire. Isaac gave it a terrified look but Cora grabbed a hotdog to join him.

“About the yard…”

“Plant a garden,” Peter suggested calmly, “Nice box garden with benches between the boxes. Move the firepit here, or better yet, put in a fountain! Nice area to sit and relax.”

“Hm,” Cora considered, “I’d love the sound of running water out here. Drown out the annoying neighbors.”

“By the way I’ve invited a few people,” Peter stated, “So put on your social face.”

“What… people?” She asked sharply, narrowing her eyes in irritation.

“Hm, you should work on that. Just some packmates. Don’t worry. You know them,” Peter nudged her, “Your uncle takes good care of you.”

“How much is it going to cost me to get you _back_ out of my life now you’ve waltzed back in?” Cora asked, eyes narrowed.

“One million,” Peter decided.

“Derek will _never_ agree to-“

“Than I suggest you tell him what happened here and guilt him relentlessly for putting you in a dangerous situation.”

Cora narrowed her eyes, “Isaac hasn’t been alone with you. How did you know?”

“I’m not an idiot,” Peter deadpanned, “It was inevitable that some idiot would try something and your wishful mate would take him out. Your brother is a fool.”

“That I know,” She replied, “He didn’t run it past Stiles.”

“Obviously,” Peter sighed, “If I’d known what an _idiot_ he’d be I’d have kept the alpha power and chosen Stiles as my heir.”

“From what Derek’s told me you were weeping,” Cora taunted, “Completely insane. Riddled with guilt.”

“Two million.”

“1.5 seems fair to me.”

“Derek will negotiate it down.”

“Which is why I needed to be able to _honestly_ tell him that you asked for more and I argued you down.”

“ _That’s_ my girl,” Peter nudged her shoulder with his own and Cora smothered a smile, “Speaking of how much I adore you… seeing as how you’re my favorite…”

“Spit it out, vulture,” Cora grumbled.

“You recall that _wishful mate_ part I mentioned?”

“What about it?” She asked.

“Isaac won’t wait forever.”

“Isaac isn’t waiting, we’re just friends,” Cora told him firmly.

Peter sighed, “All my family members are idiots.”

“Except you,” Cora stated sardonically.

“Except me,” Peter stated firmly.

The pack showed up and Cora spent time leaning against the far wall in their yard while Isaac socialized for her, laughing with their packmates and redirecting questions that she didn’t respond to. More than a few asked where Derek and Stiles were since they (Stiles) usually threw the parties. When Isaac told them what they were up to the group laughed and cheered them on, hoping aloud that lots of cubs were born. Isaac didn’t express to them the unlikelihood but Cora tensed up at every jibe. She was supposed to be having the babies. She and Derek had decided it. She’d continue the Hale name as her mother had, by keeping her last name and having enough babies to carry the pack into the next generation. She was a strong, confident woman. There was no reason for her continued failure to hold up her end of the bargain.

Cora spent the end of the party in silence, sipping on her favorite drink and staring down at the ground as she considered her future. Peter told her that he’d put a new ad in the paper: announcing her engagement to Isaac. He’d also put a sign out in front of her house that stated ‘No Trespassing’ and that Isaac had added a handmade sign beside it that read ‘No Courting’, so they hoped it would discourage men from continuing to drop by. Cora just nodded. She was deeply engrossed in a self-encouragement cycle- a tactic she’d learned online while researching ways to deal with her social anxiety. She played out scenarios in her brain and re-directed them each time she started to play out a worst-case scenario. She mentally encouraged herself over and again, and when the last guest _finally_ left she headed upstairs with Isaac.

Isaac brushed his teeth in his bathroom and Cora in hers. Her bedroom had a huge hole in the floor that she’d have to buy boards to repair and she obviously needed a new carpet. Armed with that excuse, she donned a t-shirt and lace panties and headed for Isaac’s room.

“Hey?” He muttered, opening the door and giving her an awkward, sideways look as she stood before him.

“My room is wrecked.”

“Yeah,” Isaac nodded, stepping aside.

It wasn’t the first time she’d slept in his bed. They were pack after all, so cuddling was the norm rather than the exception. They had two rooms for privacy… and because Isaac was weird as fuck about his sleeping conditions. Isaac had a futon mattress that he kept on the floor, a very plush rug, and beanbag chair with a lap table beside it. Other than that he had books all the way around his room on the floor, neatly lined up as if it were a shelf. His light was dome shaped and he’d painted it with grey paint so it looked like a full moon. He had no curtains and the window was always open no matter what the weather was. It had no screen. His blankets were all light so he never felt weighted down, but it never got overly cold in their area so she doubted it was a problem.

Cora waited until Isaac lay down in bed, sparing her a pillow, and smiled up at her expectantly. He was already reeking of desire and hope. Derek had often told her that consent shouldn’t rely on scent, but Cora wasn’t good at communication and so far she hadn’t managed to entice Isaac into making the first move despite stinking of lust around him.

Cora walked forward and pulled the covers down to his knees, dropping down to straddle his hips. Isaac turned from lying on his side to his back, eyes wide, pupils blown, and mouth slightly open in shocked excitement. Cora knelt there for a moment, staring down at him and waiting for a protest. It never came so she sat down on his thighs and stripped her shirt off. Isaac sucked in his breath and his eyes got impossibly wide before he reached down to pull his own shirt off. Cora nodded in approval and ignored his hyperventilating as she kneeled to one side to slip her underwear down and kick them away. Isaac’s stripped his boxers off before she was through so she simply settled back onto his thighs.

Isaac whimpered and Cora stared down at his shaft for a moment. He was hard and twitching, surprisingly long and thick for a beta.

“I haven’t done this in a while,” She informed him, straightforward and to the point.

Isaac let out a highpitched whimpering sound and his cock twitched and drooled onto his belly, “S’okay. I haven’t done this ever.”

“Oh,” Cora replied, unable to hide her disappointment, “I’d better get myself ready then. It will be quicker.”

“Right. Quicker. I mean, I think I can hold off? Maybe with a condom?”

Cora shook her head, licked three fingers, and reached between her thighs to give her clit a firm rub from side to side. Isaac wasn’t panting anymore, but he was clearly still aroused as he hesitantly placed a hand on each of her thighs.

“Wh-what do I do? Show me?” He pleaded.

“Just lay there,” She replied, eyes sliding over his body. He was gorgeous. Pale and lean like some corny teen vampire movie star, “I got this.”

“Can I…?” One hand reached up, voice full of longing, and made an unsubtle cupping motion towards her breast.

“Yeah, sure, knock yourself out,” She replied with a halfhearted shrug. She was starting to get wet finally, her nub throbbing eagerly as she gathered the juices and spread them around to give her the glide she needed.

Isaac eagerly cupped her breast, letting out a breathy sigh as his long fingers and huge palm completely covered her flesh. Cora’s nipple hardened against his palm and she felt every tightening of her flesh. So did Isaac, who eagerly cupped the other and massaged them both curiously.

“Flick the nipple, idiot,” Cora panted, working herself faster.

Isaac’s thumbs moved quickly, and at her hiss of annoyance he quickly licked his thumbs and worked them in circles. The wet calluses made her gasp and unintentionally bounce in excitement. Cora had only meant to get herself a bit wet, but between Isaac’s fumbling stimulation and his warm scent she was quickly approaching climax. A soft whimper had her lips parting, and when she licked them Isaac moaned beneath her, his hips twitching upwards. That reminded her that she had an inexperienced man beneath her who was likely to go off like a rocket in a second or two.

“Just a bit…” She reassured quickly.

“I want to touch,” Isaac whispered softly, “Cora, please let me…”

“Mm-mm, I’m close, you’ll just fumble it,” She insisted, knowing how easily a man poking sensitive tissue without knowing a clit from an eyeball could turn her right off.

“You’re so beautiful,” Isaac told her sliding one hand along her hips as he continued to tease her other breast.

Cora’s free hand moved up to the abandoned tit and gave her nipple a gentle but firm squeeze that threw her right over the edge. Cora crooned through her release, hips twitching in excitement. Isaac’s hand left her hips and went to his cock, and he swore a few times in clear frustration. Cora’s eyes flew open, ready to be furious if he’d managed to spill his load already. He was holding the tip of his cock tightly with two fingers and counting backwards from ten, eyes tightly shut and lips trembling a he tried to hold himself off. His lips were swollen from biting at them while he watched her pleasure herself. He was gorgeous and she hated that she didn’t know how to make this more intimate.

“Okay?” Cora asked.

Isaac nodded frantically and let out a slow breath as he removed his hand, “I’m good… I think…”

“Good,” She replied, “I read that I’m more fertile if I’m aroused, so that should do it.”

Isaac cocked his head to one side but didn’t argue, just watching in awe as she kneeled up. At her pointed glance he gripped his dick and held it upright so she could slide down on him. The stretch surprised her. Her first was shamefully small and the few that had followed had been men she’d sated herself with based on opportunity rather than after proper vetting. Isaac filled her aching body and left her wriggling in his lap as she longed to move. Isaac’s jaw had gone slack and his eyes had rolled back in his head as he gasped and clutched at her hips. Cora held still for a moment, keeping him deep inside of her as she’d suspected he’d come already. For a moment he gripped her tightly, his cock pressing tightly against her sensitive cervix. It took a moment for him to calm himself and then Isaac’s eyes opened, yellow wolf side flashing out as he stared up at her with absolute hunger.

Cora’s eyebrow raised in surprise at the challenge there and she grinded her hips to pleasure herself on his shaft without stimulating him too much. Every movement had his dick rubbing her g-spot perfectly.

“Fuck,” Isaac grunted out, biting his lip until he drew blood.

“Yeah, hopefully,” She replied.

Isaac’s hands were encouraging her now, firm grip getting her to rut against him as her pleasure mounted the way he clearly wanted to mount her. Isaac was huffing and puffing beneath her, trying to hold himself off despite the clearly lost cause. Isaac’s gasps turned to moans and then to loud groans as he tried to keep himself together. Cora was close to coming again, but she had to take mercy on the flushed man beneath her. She lifted up and dropped down sharply and that was all it took. Isaac came with a strangled cry, his claws gripping her hips tightly as he pumped her full of his precious seed.

Cora smiled as she watched Isaac tense and then collapse into the bed beneath her. His chest was heaving and he looked radiant with color in his cheeks and shocked excitement shining in his eyes. He smiled up at her exuberantly and she smiled fondly back.

“Did you come? I mean, again?” Isaac asked.

“Sure,” Cora laughed lightly, brushing a bang aside.

Isaac’s expression immediately turned frustrated and angry, “Cora, don’t lie to me! I’ll… I’ll use my mouth. Or you can show me what to do with my hands! I can learn, I swear!”

“It’s okay,” She replied, “Just let me-“

“Please!” Isaac pleaded, sounding almost frantic.

Cora hesitated. She knew that the likelihood of her body pushing his sperm out increased if she climaxed again, but strong sperm would already be on it’s way to her egg. Besides, if his eager wriggling said anything he’d be up for a repeat performance in the future. What harm was enjoying herself.

“Okay,” She slipped off of his softening prick and laid down on the bed, spreading her legs wide and then spreading her nether lips with two fingers, “Look close, because I’m only explaining this once and if you poke me like I’m a steak we’re done.”

“Kay,” He nodded, eagerly sitting up and staring between her thighs.

“This is the spot, this little button here. Push it, rub it, flick it, suck it, lick it. Don’t poke beside it like you’re trying to find a hole that isn’t there. Don’t expect the edges around the _actual_ hole- down here- to be good for me. They’re not. There are good spots inside, but you’ll just rub me raw if you rub around the hole roughly. Collect the fluids and get out. Got it?”

“Got it,” Isaac nodded eagerly.

“Good, now-“

Cora was cut off by Isaac’s sudden and eager attack of her body. He dove down and wrapped his lips around the upper part of her mound and began to make out with it hungrily. Cora choked in surprise as he licked, suckled, and rubbed his tongue along her sensitive clit. He hit it more than missed it and she had already been close enough that it wasn’t long before she was gasping and clutching at his hair. She pushed him higher up when he strayed too low- probably chasing the taste of his seed- and he took the hint and followed along until she was crying out in bliss.

Cora didn’t realize she’d been practically smothering him against her cunt until she let his hair go in relief and he came up panting and grinning proudly. Cora gave him a weak grin and laughed lightly.

“Proud of yourself, are you?”

“Should I be?” He asked, reaching for her with twitching fingers.

“Hey, now, don’t overdo it,” She shoved his hand away, “Yes. Yes, you should.”

Isaac grinned lasciviously and Cora’s eyebrow quirked at the predatory look on his face, “I’m hard again.”

“Oh, are you?”

“I can last longer this time.”

“You wanna bet?” She asked, gesturing to her figure, “With this beneath you?”

Isaac let out a small roar, startling Cora with a sudden show of dominance, and leaped at her hungrily. Cora snarled right back and let him tackle her only to flip him over her head. Isaac grunted as he hit the floor above her and she rolled quickly over as he scrambled up. She charged him and had him pinned against the wall easily, her strength superior due to her steady exercise regimen. He grappled with her for a moment, but when she lifted one leg up and braced her knee against the wall he keened in longing. She released his arm and reached down to guide him into her body and he let out a low moan of longing. Isaac’s hands moved to grip her ass, eagerly fucking into her body as he pulled her firmly onto his length.

“Cora,” He moaned deeply, “Fuck, so good.”

“Yeah, I do,” She growled, “I was raised around pros, Zach. I know my way around a dick.”

“Mph,” Isaac grunted, “Don’t… don’t… see you like...”

She breathed hotly against his neck as she gripped his shoulder, “Can the altruism. I know what I’m about.”

Isaac’s dick was pressing against her g-spot perfectly and she was liking the way he gripped her ass and drove her down against himself. His muscles bunched and flexed as he broke a sweat with his hungry motions. Cora groaned through a longer, more intense climax, unashamed of the deep growls it brought from deep in her chest. Isaac let out desperate cries and then they were stumbling back onto the bed and Cora found herself pinned beneath a frantically rutting male for the first time in her life. She’d never let them have the upper hand before, but as he grunted and pressed into her body she found herself holding him tightly with a grip around his shoulders and another around his waist.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Cora growled, trying to maintain an air of power.

She wanted to say more. She wanted to praise and tease him, but it got caught in her throat. Isaac was lost to his own pleasure now, growling and fucking into her desperately. His motions were beginning to lose rhythm so she gave his ass a tight grasp- with claws- and hummed in approval as he pressed tightly against her and then emptied himself into her body once more. Isaac stayed over her, one arm around her waist holding her tightly as the other held him from fully pressing down on her.

“Oh, wow,” He panted.

“Mm-hm, it’s like that,” She soothed, licking his jaw to taste his sweat, “What did you think of your first time?”

“Soooo, soooo, good,” Isaac moaned.

Cora smiled, “Good. Now get off me, you big lug.”

Isaac laughed and rolled away, “We made a mess of the bed.”

“Mm,” Cora stretched and sat up, noting how sticky she was, “You remake it while I shower. I’m gross.”

“You smell so good, though,” Isaac replied, wistfulness in his voice.

Cora hesitated, “Well, I have to pee either way.”

Isaac nodded and she left to do that, her heart fluttering as she replayed his words over and again. _You smells so good_. She smelled good to him with his scent in and on her. She smelled good while reeking of sex. Their sex. Their sweat. Their pleasure. Cora took a look at herself in the mirror, reveling in her tousled hair. Her full lips weren’t kiss swollen and she was belatedly sorry she hadn’t kissed Isaac.

“Next time,” She told her reflection, “There _will_ be a next time. There will.”

Cora used the bathroom, wiping up twice because she really _was_ drippy and gross, and then headed into Isaac’s bedroom. He was passed out on top of a nicely made bed. Cora laughed at a man’s need to _instantly_ sleep after coitus and crawled in with him. She wrapped her arms around him, snuggling in close and breathing in his scent. It really was nice, the smell of their bodies all over each other. Cora normally wanted to scrub the scent of her sex buddies off afterwards, but she was enjoying it on Isaac and herself. She snuggled in tightly and tried to put away the concern that she might not be able to keep him.

 


	6. Chapter 6

“This sucks,” Stiles whined, bouncing his knee anxiously.

“Stop, for pities sake,” Derek groaned.

They were sitting in a rental car staring at a Bennington Sanitarium while waiting for the clock to change. Stiles had rushed them out of their lunch in order to be here ‘on time’ only to arrive forty minutes before they were scheduled to meet their contact. Sadly that meant that Stiles was trapped in an enclosed space even smaller than their truck with Derek while bordering on a panic attack.

“Derek, she could be _in there_.”

“I know I’m about to be,” Derek grumbled.

“Dude, that’s my mom. How about some fucking sensitivity here?”

“Trust me,” Derek replied, “After twenty minutes of you opening and closing every hatch in here, spinning the knob on the window crank, and un-rhythmically attempting to drum, that _was_ sensitive.”

“Okay, I’m going in now,” Stiles decided, “Maybe he’s there already.”

“Yeah, working,” Derek climbed out of the vehicle and chased after his mate, “He said 2PM!”

“I’m going!” Stiles shouted back.

“I noticed!” Derek groused irritably, following him into the building.

A group of nurses were talking to two men in suits at the front desk, but when they saw Stiles and Derek walk in they got wide eyed and one started over before the two men cut her off with a sharp motion. Stiles was oblivious but Derek was suddenly on edge. This didn’t feel like a meeting. This felt like an ambush.

“Hi, I’m looking for Dr. Reid?” Stiles asked, drumming on the counter eagerly.

Guns flew up, the nurses dropped to the floor, and Derek let out a roar of challenge and threw Stiles on the ground behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N I’m messing with timelines here. It’s 2017 in the first story. Stiles was born in 1997 according to canon. Reid was born in 1981 according to canon. Here’s where I change things: Instead of Reid’s father leaving in 1984 I’ve got his mother leaving in 1994. Read to find out the rest of the story.

 

“FBI! Get on the floor! Now!” The older man ordered, his voice loud but deceptively calm. He had dark hair and piercing eyes and Derek didn’t need his nose to know he was an alpha.

“Retract your claws,” The younger man with wild mid-length hair had a softer voice but he was no less intense. Derek could smell worry but the younger man didn’t let it show on his face. He was just as dangerous.

Derek shifted to cover Stiles but retracted his claws and teeth as he knelt down in front of his mate.

“What are we charged with?” Derek growled, “We haven’t done anything wrong.”

The two came around the counter but when they began to move forward Derek growled and Stiles spoke up quickly. “Mate Code!”

It was the universal warning to others that an irate alpha might lose control if their omega were approached, “We just came off heat, he’s super fucking possessive right now.”

The slender man came forward, “I’m omega.”

“You’re _dangerous_ ,” Derek growled, “We’re innocent of whatever the fuck you’ve thought up!”

The older man hummed in apparent agreement with Derek’s statement of his partner’s ability.

“Just tell us what’s going on,” Stiles pleaded.

“That depends,” The slender man replied, “What do you want with my mother?”

“I’m not looking for _your_ mother,” Stiles insisted, “I’m looking for _my_ mother. Claudia Stilinski. She might be going by her maiden name Reid. I’m assuming she’s, like, your sibling or something? I’m your nephew.”

“Reid?” The older man asked his partner.

“He’s telling the truth,” Dr. Reid replied, “I’m just not sure how much of it he’s been deceived on. Do you know who Diana Reid is?”

“No. Another sibling?”

“My mother’s name is Diana Claudia Reid,” Dr. Reid explained, “Her maiden name was Meiczyslaw, not Reid. She was never a Stilinski. You either have the wrong person or we’re missing information.”

“That’s… that’s my first name,” Stiles stated in a broken voice. Meiczyslaw is my first name. She… she had another son? She had another _omega_ son? _Who she loved?!_ ”

Derek could hear Stiles start to hyperventilate but with the guns still pointed on him he couldn’t move to comfort his mate. Stiles choked on a sob and Dr. Reid gave them a sympathetic look and motioned for the older man to lower his gun. Derek turned to pull Stiles against himself, holding him tightly as the omega broke down in his arms.

“You’re sure?” The older man asked as Reid approached.

“He pronounced it perfectly,” Reid replied, “I can barely do that.”

“You go by a nickname?” Reid asked, kneeling down and giving Stiles a careful look even as Derek edged away from him while still holding Stiles tightly.

“Stiles,” Derek stated, “He goes by Stiles. Breathe, baby. It’s okay. Fuck her, right? You’ve got me.”

“Stiles, I’m not sure what’s going on here but I’d like to talk to you about this in private, okay?” Reid asked.

“No,” Stiles choked out, “I want to talk to _her_. She fucking owes me an explanation!”

“We need to sort out what happened first,” Reid replied, “She’s not exactly well so asking her- especially while you’re upset- isn’t going to get you very far.”

“She’s mental?” Stiles choked.

The man winced, “Let’s go talk in private. Dr. Watson? You said I can use your office?”

“Yes,” An Asian woman gestured towards a door and Derek led Stiles inside after Reid entered first. The older man stayed behind and Reid sat down at the desk there.

Stiles sat down in a chair and Derek scooted his closer to make sure he could pet his distressed mate. Stiles was taking slow breaths and gripping the arms of the chair as he tried to focus and get the information he wanted. Reid began to speak while Stiles continued deep breathing exercises.

“In 1994, shortly after I graduated from highschool, my mother went off of her medication and disappeared for roughly 9 years and four months. She suffers from Schizophrenia and had been behaving erratically both before and after, so when she returned I had her committed. I asked her many times what she’d been doing but she never would tell me. She just said ‘research’.”

“Research,” Stiles whispered, “She was married already?”

“She and my father had a rocky relationship, and they’re divorced now,” Reid replied, “She went off her meds while pregnant with me and stayed off for four years. He left once, but she started taking her medicine again so he returned.”

“Until she left in 1994.”

“And apparently… made you,” Reid gestured at Stiles curiously, giving him a cautious smile.

“Another omega,” Stiles replied, “I guess her research flopped.”

“Why do you keep referring to omegas that way?” Reid asked, his voice completely neutral and nonjudgmental.”

“She left the day I started my first hormonal cycle,” Stiles stated softly, “When they realized I was an omega she just gave me this odd look and just… left. She didn’t even take her things with her. She just vanished. My dad was a cop and he freaked out. He was convinced she’d been kidnapped and went after her, but after weeks of searching and me living with my buddy Scott’s crazy family, he came back and just told me she didn’t want us anymore.”

“You assumed her reasons for leaving was due to your secondary gender? Or were you told?”

“My dad heavily implied it,” Stiles stated flatly.

“He didn’t give you any other reason why? Did you overhear anything? Any discussions?”

“He dove headfirst into a bottle and didn’t come out again until about 8 years ago,” Stiles stated.

Derek was watching him carefully. His face was blank and Derek was worried so he coaxed his omega into his lap. Stiles buried his nose against Derek’s neck and breathed in deeply before turning again to face Reid.

“So, you’re my brother. You’re old enough to be my dad,” Stiles stated irritably.

“Considering my sexual history I find that highly unlikely,” Reid stated frankly.

“You’re weird.”

“I graduated highschool at 12 so my social development was permanently affected.”

Stiles blinked.

“Yes, I’m weird,” Reid replied.

“Yeah, well, runs in the family. What’s your first name?”

“Spencer.”

“Oh, so she didn’t like either of us,” Stiles quipped, his anger showing through.

“How were you raised?” Spencer asked.

“Like normal,” Stiles shrugged, “I didn’t graduate highschool at 12, that’s for damn sure. You really work for the FBI? Was he your mate? I didn’t think we could climb that high.”

In response the older omega pulled out his badge and showed it to Stiles with a proud smile, the first honest expression he’d used since pulling out his gun.

“See,” Stiles nudged Derek, “I can totally go into politics.”

Derek ran his nose along Stiles’ neck, “Never doubted it.”

“You’re in politics?” Spencer asked.

“Not yet,” Stiles replied, “Just graduated college… wow, that probably sounds pathetic to you.”

“We don’t all have the same path,” Spencer replied with a one-armed shrug.

“You’re a genius,” Stiles stated flatly, “I’m a trucker with a hunky husband and a dream.”

Spencer nodded, “You’ve got a hunky husband. That’s something. And besides, I’ve never really believed that intelligence can be measured quite that way. There are people with more skills than I have or ever will have despite my multiple degrees.”

“I’m used to being the smartest person in the room,” Stiles stated, “This is weird for me.”

“School was boring for you?”

“It would have been, if I didn’t miss so much due to my gender. I had to keep catching up. The subjects were easy, but the teachers made it difficult for me.”

“Have you ever had your IQ tested?”

“Why?” Stiles snorted, “I thought it wasn’t important?”

“Because my mother’s IQ is even higher than mine,” Spencer replied, “I’m curious, I suppose. Did she read to you?”

“Every night,” Stiles replied, voice cracking again, “And sang. She loved to sing. To me. To dad. While she was cleaning.”

“She doesn’t sing when she’s medicated,” Spencer replied, “She stopped after she started her medicine when I was three and started up again with you. She didn’t clean, either. I was taking care of her more than she was I. My dad was just glad she wasn’t having episodes so he didn’t care that she was overmedicated, but he left after I hit eighteen.”

“I get why she left you- she stopped her meds and wasn’t thinking straight- but why did she leave me? We never had a single indication that she was crazy.”

“Crazy is a very offensive term,” Spencer stated frankly, “You know, I find it interesting that she left me at 13 and you at 12. I’m wondering if you showing up smelling like an omega reminded her of me?”

“You emerged at 13?”

Spencer nodded, “About a month or so before she left.”

“So I came home and she just… remembered her other family?”

“Was she working?”

“As a teacher,” Stiles nodded, “History. Apparently she treated this assistant Harris like shit and he never let me forget it when he became a teacher.”

“She was a college professor with us,” Spencer murmured, “I wonder if she just… wanted a simpler life.”

Stiles snorted, “Fuck you.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Stiles shook his head in dismissal, “When can I see her?”

“Not until I know you aren’t going to yell at her,” Spencer replied.

“So, never?”

“If necessary,” He replied, “She’s my mom. I love her.”

“Even after she left you?” Stiles spat out angrily, “Oh, wait. I forgot. _She came back for you_.”

“To be fair,” Spencer stated, “She couldn’t really _get_ back to you. She’s been here since she returned and I had her committed.”

“Why did you draw weapons on us?” Derek asked sharply when Stiles didn’t reply.

“We found out people were searching for my mother,” Spencer replied, “She’s been targeted due to my job before. Since you didn’t give me your real name and you’re an omega you didn’t have much of a trail for us to track. We didn’t know what you wanted with her and showing up early meant we weren’t ready for you.”

“So now what?”

Spencer stood up, “Wait here.”

Once Spencer left the room Stiles turned sharply and pressed tightly against him. Derek held him tightly while Stiles broke down once more, sobbing into his shoulder.

“She’s alive.”

“Yeah,” Derek agreed.

“She’s alive and she left me.”

“She’s not well.”

“Schizophrenia, man.”

“I know.”

“Even werewolves get that.”

“I know.”

“I’m young, Derek. I still could.”

“You won’t.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Why would she do this? Why leave her husband and child and start a new family and than go back to the first?”

“I don’t know,” Derek soothed, rubbing his back, “We’ll find out. He’ll ask her, and if that doesn’t work we’ll break in and _you’ll_ ask her.”

“And if that doesn’t work?”

“Then _I will.”_


	8. Chapter 8

“Hi, mom,” Spencer called, knocking on his mother’s doorjam, “Am I interrupting?”

“Spencer,” Diana smiled at him, “Come in! You’re just in time. I was going to read your favorite book.”

“Actually, I need to ask you something,” Spencer sat down on the spare chair in the room and leaned forward, “Did you ever think about having another child.”

Diana smiled softly, “Oh, sure, a few times, but you know how difficult it was for me to be pregnant.”

“Yeah, I do. So, did you?”

“Did I what?”

“Have another child? Maybe while you were gone?”

Diana’s smile slid away, “Spencer. You can’t trick me, I’m your mother.”

“I know,” Spencer replied, “I just don’t want to upset you and… well… I’m a little upset myself.”

“Why?” She asked, “I’m a woman. I have needs. I made you, didn’t I? My having a sex life can’t be that shocking to you, you’re a grown man.”

She opened up her book again and effectively dismissed him. Spencer realized he was going to have to push and nodded to the nurse at the door to warn her. She nodded and motioned to the doctor who headed for the doorway to wait out their situation.

“Mom, your son is here.”

“I’m not _that_ crazy, Spencer. I do recognize you.” She replied blandly.

“No,” Spencer took a deep breath, “Your _other_ son. Mieczyslaw Stilinski.”

“Stiles?” She asked in a small voice as she dropped her book onto the floor and gave him a devastated stare, “Stiles is here?”

“He’s been looking for you,” Spencer stated, “He’s really hurting, mom. He’s sad and angry and confused. He doesn’t know why you left, just like I don’t understand why you left all those years ago. He wants answers.”

“Well… I-I-I-I-… _I_ don’t have them!” She replied sharply, eyes beginning to tear up.

“Who does?” He asked softly, “Did someone make you leave?”

“Well, they’re always watching me,” She replied, standing up sharply and brushing down her skirt as she headed for the window. She stared out it anxiously, “You understand, don’t you? They wouldn’t let me _rest_.”

“You were having trouble sleeping. Your insomnia.”

“My head was just… aching. It was awful. I hadn’t slept or _days_ , Spencer,” She told him as she turned towards him again, “Your father wanted me to take my medicine. He was _always_ going on about my medicine.”

“He was worried. So was I.”

“You, you’d just emerged!” She gestured to Spencer, “I’m a _beta_. So was your father! How was I to know how to protect you? Raising an omega is… I couldn’t find enough books in the _world_ to help me help you!”

“So you left?” He asked, fighting down his hurt and keeping his voice neutral.

“I wasn’t going to leave for a long time, just… just long enough to get my head settled. I knew a doctor out in California. I thought he could help me.”

“Did you even see him?”

“No, I…” She hesitated and sighed, “My friend Marcy talked me out of it. She doesn’t believe in medicating yourself. She said it was part of what _they_ wanted. She got me a job instead. She said if I just focused I’d be okay. I tried and for a while it worked. I faked it. I kept saying I’d go back, but then I met John and…”

“And what about the family you _had_.”

“Your father was abusing me.”

“What?” Spencer sat up straighter, “I had no idea!”

“Marcy said so. He kept insisting I take my meds. Everything was about medicating me until I was numb, until I couldn’t even sing to you!”

“Because without it you’d do things like _leave us for nine years_ ,” Spencer replied, losing his battle against his tears, “That’s not abuse, mom. What you did was… it was…”

Diana stepped forward and stroked the tear off of his cheek, “I’m so sorry, Spencer. It makes sense in my head, but then it doesn’t, and… I’m so sorry.”

“At least you came back to me,” Spencer replied miserably, “Stiles thinks you abandoned him because he was an omega.”

“No, not that, I just… I thought you’d be able to tell me how to help him so I came back, but you were so angry and you put me here and…”

“And then we didn’t talk for months, after which you were medicated,” Spencer sighed, “Why didn’t you tell me about your other family when I asked?”

Diana’s tears dripped down onto Spencer’s cheek, “Because I was _ashamed_. I left my child and cheated on my husband. Then I had _another_ child who I was equally unable to care for! I wrote John a letter telling him I was sick and couldn’t help him raise a child with special needs.”

“Did you explain it completely?”

She shook her head, “I didn’t want him to treat Stiles differently, to expect him to suddenly go insane like your father did with you. You still question your own sanity even after all these years, despite you being successful and brilliant.”

“Mom… Stiles hasn’t spelled it out, but I suspect that he was heavily neglected after you left,” Spencer replied softly, petting her hands as she choked on a sob, “If I let him in here he’s going to be angry and hurt and he might yell at you. He wants closure if nothing else, but I don’t think you can handle that today. I’m going to tell him to-“

“No, no, I want to see him. I’ve missed him,” Diana choked on her words and put a hand over her mouth. Spencer waited, “You can’t imagine what it’s like to have two beautiful children and not be worthy of _either of them_. I thought… at least… Stiles didn’t have as many expectations as you did. I thought I could do right for him, but then I ended up here and I just… I gave up. I have to tell him that. He needs to know that it wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t _either_ of your faults! I never, _ever_ should have had children!”

Diana was sobbing brokenly as Spencer stood up and held her tightly, “Mom, you had two brilliant children. You not being equipped to care for them wasn’t your fault. I can’t tell you if you should have raised us or not, but I for one am glad I’m here and I’ve made a difference in the world partly due to your influence. I have a feeling Stiles will, too.”

XXX

Stiles walked slowly into the room, hesitant even with his mate at his back and his brother (?!) by his side. When he entered completely, Diana Reid stood up and for a moment Stiles was just breathless. His mother stood there, tears in her eyes and hands pressed together in front of her lips, looking at him with so much sorrow and regret permeating the air that he broke.

“Mom!”

Stiles threw his arms around her, hugging her tightly as she sobbed against his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” She whispered, “I’m so, so sorry.”

“I know,” Stiles choked, “I’m sorry, too. I’m sorry we didn’t notice and get you the help you needed. Are you okay here?”

“I’m… better here,” She admitted, then peered over his shoulder at Spencer, “But I _still hate it_.”

“I know you do, mom,” Spencer replied with a light laugh, “I know you do.”


	9. Chapter 9

Cora woke up alone and chilled in Isaac’s bed, frowning at the open window and the fan pushing cool air around. Without Isaac the room was less than comfortable. She stood up to sniff him out but heard him first. He was sobbing and gasping for breath as if someone were choking the life out of him.

Horrified, Cora stood up and focused her hearing until she found Isaac’s frantic heartbeat somewhere downstairs. He sounded as if he were alone but she pulled her claws out anyway. It had been years since Isaac had had a panic attack and the fact he wasn’t calling for her in line with their recent attack had her instincts screaming _attack_! Cora rushed downstairs and looked around herself in confusion. Isaac wasn’t in the living room. Her eyes focused on the closet and she felt a moment of dread. Isaac was claustrophobic. He would _never_ willingly set foot inside the closet. He never even hung up coats in there. Cora had to handle that for him because just standing in the opening was terrifying to him. If he were in there than he’d been incapacitated, bound, and _shoved_ in there, which meant there were assailants in the house somewhere disguising their scent and sound so they could ambush her when she opened the door to release him.

 _Sorry Zach_ , She silently apologized, _Have to secure the threat, first_.

The scent of blood reached her and her heart ached. Isaac was hurt inside the closet, tearing at his own flesh in his attempts to escape and get to her, or simply away from his fear. Cora walked slowly through the house, looking for enemies and finding none. She could smell pack and booze from their impromptu party, and the scent of sex from upstairs, but nothing indicated to her that there was a threat inside their home. Isaac was wailing bitterly, scratching weakly against the door without actually making headway to escaping. She couldn’t let him suffer any longer.

Cora turned and hurried to Isaac’s prison and checked the door. It wasn’t locked, which meant she might need to get a human packmate as mountain ash had to be what was keeping Isaac in there.

_I have to try._

“Isaac, it’s going to be okay,” Cora soothed, trying the door.

It opened.

Cora blinked in surprise. The door creaked slowly open and revealed Isaac curled up on the floor, scratching weakly and indiscriminately at his flesh and the floor. He’d been at it for a while, leaving a pool of blood on the ground beneath him even as his wounds healed up before he could do more than exhaust and weaken himself. Cora reached out to touch him, expecting a barrier to prevent her, only to easily pass through the air and lay a hand on his shoulder. Isaac shrieked and pulled back, pressing against shoes and dropping a coat down onto himself as he attempted to flee her in the tight space.

“Isaac, what’s going on?” She asked anxiously, “What’s happened to you?”

“Go. You need to go. You need to get away from me.”

“Why?” She pleaded.

“Punished. Need to be… need to be punished. Shut the door.”

“Shut the… Isaac, you’re terrified and hurting yourself. I’m not shutting the door. Whose punishing you? If Peter put you in here, I _swear_ to cthulu…”

“Derek,” Isaac insisted frantically, eyes darting around, “He’s going to _kill me!”_

“Derek’s in Vegas getting his rocks off,” Cora replied sharply, “Well, probably sleeping it off by now, but seriously? He’s not here. Isaac, come out of there.”

“ _No!_ I have to be punished.”

“For _what_?” She asked sharply, “You were protecting me! Derek will be thrilled!”

Isaac shook his head frantically, a scarf falling on him that Cora quickly swiped out of his face so she could see him and figure out what he was up to.

“No, no, no,” Isaac whined, “Touched his _sister_.”

“So?” She shrugged, “He’s never complained before. Hell, that’s why he brought you here!”

“Uh?” Isaac asked.

“Come out of there,” She insisted, “Derek is _not_ going to punish you for breeding me, Isaac.”

“I don’t…” Isaac came out with her, shaking and blinking in confusion.

Cora gripped his hand tightly and carefully shut the door behind him. She led him towards the couch and pulled him down into her arms, wrapping him tightly with all limbs and rolling so he was pinned to the back of the couch. Once she had him safe but out of the restrained environment that he’d been punishing himself with, he began to take steady breaths and pressed into her bosom for comfort. Cora stroked his beautiful curly hair and forced out a few difficult words.

“Didn’t you know why Derek brought you here?”

“He saved me.”

“Yeah, but _why_ he brought you _here_? Not just adopted you into his pack like he did a bunch of others?”

Isaac shook his head, “I’m broken. I can’t work.”

“You _can_ work, and you have,” She reminded him, “You worked that summer on landscaping, remember?”

“Yeah, until they decided they don’t like werewolves.”

“Yeah, but that’s… look, my point is that you’re not broken. A bit mental, yeah, but not broken and… I mean… he brought you here for a _reason_.”

“What reason?”

“To… to… you know… what we did last night.”

Isaac was silent for a moment and then whispered, “Oh my gods, I’m the shittiest prostitute ever.”

“No,” Cora groaned, “Not for _that_. For… for what comes after.”

“Cuddling?”

“Babies, Isaac. For cubs,” She replied, his idiocy giving her the frustration she needed to snap the truth out at him. For a moment she tensed, but as Isaac lay silent and contemplative she relaxed and continued to stroke his hair, “You okay?”

“I’m… I’m _really_ your husband? Not just in name to avoid assholes?”

“Yeah,” She replied softly, “Guess you are.”

“Why did you tell me sooner? Why didn’t _anyone_.”

“You were so hurt when you were brought here,” Cora sighed, “Derek didn’t want you to feel like you were required to put out to pay for being saved and your care afterwards. He also wanted me to find a _mate_ , not just a sperm donor.”

Isaac wilted in her arms, curling in on himself a bit as Cora fought him in her arms.

“Don’t. Don’t do that, you _are_ my mate!” She growled out, clutching at him until he pressed against her once more.

“I am?” He asked softly, voice shaky, “You… want me more than just last night?”

Cora took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, forcing herself to say what was in her heart rather than a glib remark that they would laugh off while burying their true feelings once again.

“I want you forever.”

Isaac shifted away, but only so he could smile up into her face with love and adoration in his eyes.

“I would kill a thousand men for you.”

Cora snorted, “Let’s stick to the one you already did and call it square, okay? Body disposal is _so_ not my side job.”

 


End file.
